


Raindrops

by durinsreign



Series: Rainwater [1]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Comfort, Dwalin Feels, Dwalin Is A Softie, Dwarf Courting, Feelings, Fluff, Kissing in the Rain, M/M, Nori Is In Love, Rain, just soft things, nwalin - Freeform, running in the rain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:55:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24217753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/durinsreign/pseuds/durinsreign
Summary: Nori kissed Dwalin and the whole world fell away."I married you with my eyes fifteen years ago."
Relationships: Dwalin/Nori (Tolkien)
Series: Rainwater [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1869685
Comments: 3
Kudos: 33





	Raindrops

**Author's Note:**

> Cute little ficlet because they deserve it.
> 
> Thank you to Ju for beta reading, and everyone on twitter who helped me with grammar and punctuation. <3 !

_____________________________________

"Have we been long?" Nori laughed, his head falling to Dwalin's shoulder. He didn't want to go, especially with the new sounds of rain and thunder just outside the rock. 

Under the overhang, it sounded like that day they sheltered in the fishing hut, peeking out of the narrow window to watch the surface of the river become a riot of mini water plumes and concentric ripples. They had waited it out, the short rainstorm, leaning against each other for warmth and comfort. 

It was new, then. What they had— whatever they called it.

"Aye, some'n may begin to wonder where either of us are." Dwalin answered after allowing himself a moment to just hold the smaller dwarf. 

Sitting here with Nori, he wondered how it was he could have ever lived without the comfortable weight of him under his arm; how he never imagined himself to be the type to fall in _love_ before a smug little thief had begun to work his way into the guard's every thoughts, even when he shouldn't have.

Nori frowned, having always appreciated the time he spent with Dwalin, how ever small it was. Whether it be the discreet brush of hands in the crowded markets of Ered Luin, or the mornings _after_ , just before he left, the thief counted himself lucky to share something, anything, with Dwalin. He just wouldn't admit it so easily.

"Are you going to shield me from the rain, guardsman? Or is my hair going to have to get wet?" The thief teased, still not making an effort to slip from Dwalin's arms. If it were up to him, he would never leave his side. It felt safe, like a home Nori had never thought he'd be able to have. 

Dwalin snorted, leaning away from the other dwarf as he looked him over. "Could use a bath, don't you think?" 

Offended by the other’s playful remark, Nori swatted at his chest, and finally made to get up from their spot. “You’re one to talk.” 

Dori would ask about the rain, about why he was out in the first place, when Nori had always complained about the way the water made his hair heavy and undone. 

“Come’n, if we run, we won’t get too soaked an’ you won’t have t’complain about your hair.” Dwalin’s fingers traced their own paths down the length of Nori’s forearm before carefully taking the thief’s hand in his own, as if it would slip from his grasp if he weren’t gentle. That always made Nori shiver in delight, the way Dwalin was so aware, so protective, in the smallest of gestures. Even if it was just holding hands.

They counted to three, Nori squeezing Dwalin's hand with each number, before they finally set off toward the midway between their homes. When they looked back to each other, all they could do was laugh. Dwalin's beard dripped rainwater onto his already soaked tunic, Nori's peaks drooping, all lopsided from the running and water weight. 

This was it, where they often met before deciding where to go next, where they greeted each other and said goodbye until their next meeting, a clearing in the forest surrounding the city. It was raining and the dirt path had turned to mud, their boot prints heavy and spaced, but close enough to each other that anyone could tell they had been running _together_.

The laughter trails away after a minute, the both of them breathless, but smiling wider than anything. Nori turned to face Dwalin, taking in the image of him like this like he wanted it imprinted in his head forever. He looked half drowned.

For the first time in his short life, Nori felt sure. He could see it: a life like this, with Dwalin, carefree, and unaware of anything else but themselves. He could see it, and he wanted it.

Dwalin looked at Nori as a stable force, his one stability in a lifetime of inconsistency and uncertainty. No matter what had happened, when he turned around, Nori was always there. Even if he had pushed him away, it wasn't ever long before the thief made his appearance again. And Dwalin always welcomed him back with open arms and his heart on his sleeve. The affection stretched throughout his entire body, every part of him yearned for Nori. It was so overwhelming to him, yet completing all the same.

The rain was all but forgotten, the dwarves standing close enough to embrace the other in either's arms. They stayed that way for a while. 

"You know," Nori finally spoke, his voice quieter than it had been all day.

"Mmh?" Dwalin leaned down to press his forehead to Nori's.

"I married you with my eyes fifteen years ago." 

It was a surprise to Dwalin. How, for even a moment, could the idea of Nori _wanting_ to settle down ever slip his mind? Did he really think they would sneak away to see each other forever?

"You still had your crest," The tips of their noses brush, once, twice. "And even when you lost it, I would have married you then, too."

Nori's hands had somehow made their way up to cup both sides of Dwalin's face, the palms soft against the dwarf's bearded cheeks. 

Dwalin's silence could have been mistaken for anything else, had Nori not pulled away to look him in the eyes again. At first, he wasn't sure if they were tears or raindrops.

Fifteen years ago, Nori had never even been a second thought in Dwalin's mind. 

Fifteen years ago, Nori fell in love with the very best dwarf Mahal had ever made. 

"I'd be a fool to let you off again." Dwalin mused, brushing the edges of Nori's tunic with his thumbs. 

"You would,"

The rain ran down their faces to where their lips finally met, each of them tasting the cold drops before the comforting warmth of the other.

Nori kissed Dwalin and the whole world fell away. 

It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. His hand rested below an orc bitten ear, feeling his pulse spike. And Dwalin ran his fingers down Nori's spine, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them and he could feel the beating of his heart against his chest.

"Nori, Son of Kori, m'asking for your hand in courtship, officially." Dwalin said after a breath, confident Nori wouldn't reject him after all he's already said. 

"Yes—. Mahal, yes," Nori breathed. 

"No more hiding." 

_____________________________________

**Author's Note:**

> Comments very appreciated!!


End file.
